MMU vs SPY: Correlation
How closely do Western Asset Managed Municipals Fund, Inc. (MMU) and SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) trade together? Their weekly returns over three years give a correlation of 0.34, which is moderate.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are MMU and SPY?
Across a 3-year window, the weekly returns of MMU and SPY correlate at 0.34, moderate. The relationship has been stable: the 1-year correlation (0.39) sits close to the 3-year figure. Stretching to 5 years gives 0.43, with an annualized covariance of 55.4 %².
Among the 11 assets we track against MMU, SPY sits near the bottom by co-movement, at rank #7. The trailing year gives SPY the advantage: +9.2% versus +20.6%, a 11.4-point spread.
How is this computed?
Pearson correlation on weekly returns: ρ(A,B) = cov(rA, rB) / (σA · σB), over windows of 52, 156 and 260 weeks. Covariance is annualized (×52) and expressed in %². Full definitions on the methodology page.
MMU vs SPY: side by side
| MMU (Western Asset Managed Municipals Fund, Inc.) | SPY (SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +9.2% | +20.6% |
| 5-year return | -2.0% | +82.4% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 11.3% | 14.5% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.27 | 1.00 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -9.5% | -18.8% |
| Market cap | $0.6B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | 10.7 | – |
| Dividend yield | 6.45% | 1.01% |
| Expense ratio | – | 0.09% |
| Assets under management | – | $795.3B |
| Sector / category | US Listed | ETF · US Large Cap |
SPY is a Large Blend fund from State Street Investment Management: $795.3B under management, 504 holdings, a 0.09% expense ratio, a 1.01% trailing dividend yield.
Year-by-year returns
| Year | MMU | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -19.6% | -18.2% |
| 2023 | +5.7% | +26.2% |
| 2024 | +6.6% | +24.9% |
| 2025 | +9.3% | +17.7% |
| 2026 | +1.3% | +13.7% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are MMU and SPY good diversifiers for each other?
Reasonably. At 0.34, MMU and SPY keep a meaningful degree of independence, and combining them has historically reduced portfolio volatility.
FAQ
What is the correlation between MMU and SPY?
Using weekly returns as of 2026-08-27: 0.34 over 3 years, with 0.39 over the last year and 0.43 over 5 years.
Is SPY a good diversifier for MMU?
Reasonably. At 0.34, MMU and SPY keep a meaningful degree of independence, and combining them has historically reduced portfolio volatility.
What does a correlation of 0.34 mean?
A reading of 0.34 sits on a scale from −1 (opposite moves) through 0 (unrelated) to +1 (identical moves). Correlation captures direction, not magnitude or performance.
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Related comparisons
Hubs: MMU correlations · SPY correlations
